French-Canadian Way
by Ashynarr
Summary: In canon, Matthew was raised by Francis and Arthur, but didn't turn out too much like either on the surface. What if he'd taken after his founding Nations just a bit more?
1. Hello, Goodbye

The French-Canadian Way (Hetalia)

Author: Ashynarr

Summary: In canon, Matthew was raised by Francis and Arthur, but didn't turn out too much like either on the surface. What if he'd taken after his founding Nations just a bit more?

Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine.

Warning: CanAme, French!Mattie

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

The carriage shook briefly as it rolled over and off a rock in its path, the weight of the wheel causing the rock to shoot off to the side a short distance. The horses pulling it were unperturbed, continuing their easy plod down the empty road with minimal correction from the driver sitting behind them.

The two inside the carriage barely noted the incident any more than the man outside, having experienced many similar bumps during their journey and well aware of many more to come. The elder man, known to some as Arthur Kirkland and a handful as England, looked over the documents in his hands, seemingly ignoring the person sitting across from him.

Likewise, the younger man - barely out of boyhood, all things told - glared sullenly out the window at the slowly passing fields, just as content to ignore his companion, even at the price of a tense silence. His name was Mathieu Kirkland (nee Bonnefoy) - otherwise known as New France or Canada - and he was not pleased with his current situation.

'_Traded over to the enemy just to end a stupid war in Europe,'_ His mind muttered, causing his lips to press together. '_I should have guessed Francis would do anything to get himself those islands he always went on about. Favorite colony, my ass.'_

Though the nation of France had looked fairly apologetic when the deal had been finalized, Mathieu knew his _pap_- his former caretaker far too well to not also catch the brief glimpse of relief in his eyes - probably at no longer having to deal with a moody, icy wasteland of a colony.

(In the depths of his heart, he conceded he was being unfair, but the wound of betrayal and shock was still too fresh and festering to allow himself to acknowledge the thought.)

"You know," Arthur spoke up, still focused on his documents. "You could at least pretend to be grateful for what I've done for you so far."

Mathieu ground his teeth together, but refused to rise to the bait.

The older Nation continued, "I could have done much worse than just bring you under my control; I recall you've been raised Catholic?"

"Mm." He knew Arthur could easily order his land's official faith to be changed, should he want to. The fact that he hadn't only left Mathieu wondering when he'd get around to it.

"In addition, this will finally end the border skirmishes between you and Alfred, which is something I'm sure both of you are looking forward to."

_Alfred_. What an utterly inelegant and ugly name. He supposed it suited a stuffy, drab British colony, though he couldn't really reconcile the idea with his dim memories of the wide-eyed crybaby who'd follow him around while carrying his rabbit friend.

"_Kanata!" His lighter eyed mirror image giggled, running up to his spot by the riverbank. "Kanata, let's play!"_

Mathieu shook his head. Those days were long gone, the children they'd both been with it, and it was stupid to miss something that was never coming back. The most he could hope for was a lukewarm animosity after their recent battle, no matter how much Arthur waved away the events as a spat. Maybe in a few years they'd get along better, but for the older Nation to expect anything else was as stupid as he'd expect of the British.

_'You're British now, though'_, his mind reminded him.

_'Not yet'_, he shot back with a grimase, unable to deny the inevitability of the situation but refusing to accept it.

"I see you can't even be bothered to pay attention when your superiors are speaking to you," Arthur cut in sharply, dragging Mathieu from his thoughts. Indigo met green, a mutual disapproval reached in seconds. "Hopefully you'll pick up some manners while staying with your new brother, or at least better English skills."

_New_ brother? Mathieu snorted, still marvelling at how neither of the older Nations seemed to realize that the two colonies found suspiciously near each other with suspiciously similar looks had already been in contact before they'd been separated by the hundreds of miles between their new domains.

Arthur, of course, misinterpreted, scowling even more fiercely. "Don't think for a second I won't hesitate to revoke my previous mercies if you fail to come through on your end of the deal. You might have gotten away with such disrespect while under that frog's care, but I will not accept it directed towards me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Mathieu replied quietly, managing to keep most of the annoyance out of his voice. Seriously, you'd think Mathieu was considering rebellion or something with how uptight the Brit was being.

He was a colony, and even if he hated it, he knew his place in the world.

Arthur seemed to accept the reply, letting his disapproving gaze bore into the Canadian a bit longer before returning to his documents, the carriage returning to sullen silence as it shook and rattled onwards.

~0~0~

Mathieu had believed, rather understandably, that Alfred's house wouldn't be much larger than his own. Maybe a few extra rooms, sure, since the weather was warmer and the land more settled, but _this_-

"Matthew, hurry up!" Arthur called from the front door of the two story mansion, slightly to the side to allow the humans he'd hired temporarily to carry the baggage from the carriage inside.

Swallowing and looking over the huge place again, he slowly made his way over to Arthur's side, allowing himself to be shooed inside and out of the way of the workers. The main hall seemed to stretch on forever, and with a twist he forced himself to look at the waiting room he was standing in front of instead.

_Tabernac_, how spoiled _was_ his brother?

As if summoned by his thoughts, Mathieu just caught the sound of feet stamping against the floor before a blue and blond blur skidded around the corner and all but slammed into Arthur. Mathieu took the opportunity presented to look over his brother, noting the smudged work attire and mussy hair he was sporting. Nose wrinkling slightly, he realized Alfred also smelt like horse. Just what had he been doing?

Whatever conversation the two had been having stopped, Arthur gesturing to him with something that was probably 'And this is Matthew, your new brother', even with his weak grasp of English. Alfred turned away from the older Nation to look him over, their eyes meeting just before the northern colony was blinded with a smile the force of the sun.

Wait, when had he ended up on the floor? And why were his ears ringing?

"Kanada! Mattie!" Ah, apparently his brother had only gotten stronger over the last century. Not to mention louder. And even more chattery. Not entirely unexpected but definitely… somewhat better that he'd been expecting.

A sudden image of the boy above him with Arthur's eyebrows and scowl almost had him laughing, though he bit it back at the last second. The elder Nation, meanwhile, had seemed to catch up to the situation enough to haul the southern colony off of him. Mathieu picked himself off the floor and wiped off some of the dust from his shirt while Alfred was chastised, his brother sulking all the while.

Eventually Alfred turned back to him, ducking his head slightly as he apologized (or so Mathieu guessed), bouncing straight back into a bouncy grin the second Arthur ruffled his hair and made a shooing motion at the two of them. Wait, was that a smile the Brit was wearing? Would wonders never cease?

Alfred took the opportunity provided by his temporary distraction to grab him, all but dragging him down the hall and up the stairs before Mathieu thought to start jogging along to keep his arm in its socket. After several turns that he thought he might be able to figure out later on, the southern colony dragged him into what was likely his bedroom before letting go, turning back to him with a slightly less blinding smile.

"Mattie…" He started, biting down on his lip and rocking on his heels as he kept eye contact.

"Mathieu." The northern colony corrected, the first time he'd gotten a word in edgewise since he'd gotten here. He tried desperately to call on the frustration he'd been maintaining on and off for years, but it seemed to have all vanished somewhere along the way. Feeling rather unsure of what to do next, he sighed and smiled softly. "Hey, Alfred."

Alfred paused in his rocking, grin widening as he surged forward to pull his brother into another hug. Mathieu returned it after a bit, shutting his eyes as he heard his brother mumble something into his shoulder. "I missed you too."

Pulling back, he had to hide a grin at how teary Alfred had already gotten. It seemed some things never changed, Mathieu mused as he helped Alfred wiped some of them away. "I see you're still a crybaby after all these years."

The reply was instantaneous, and Mathieu didn't need to know a lick of English to know it was a firm denial of the statement Alfred hadn't understood at all. He laughed, shoving at Alfred before remembering the other still smelled like horse and seriously needed to change. "Christ, at least change before you try and hug me again, why don't you?"

Judging by the blank look, Alfred had no idea what he was talking about. Sighing, Mathieu pointed at him before clasping a hand over his own nose and waving the air away. In seconds the southern colony had caught on, giggling behind a hand before he stopped, eyes gleaming. Mathieu only caught on to his brother's plan seconds before the American lunged again, the two caught up in a brief race before Alfred managed to pin him down and do his best to rub as much of the smell on Mathieu as possible.

It once again took Arthur's intervention to get Alfred off, though Mathieu made a good attempt at escaping in the meantime.

(...Maybe it wouldn't be too bad here, after all.)

~0~0~

"Alfred?" Mathieu called through the corridors, frowning. He'd exhausted all his brother's usual hangouts already, and he doubted the other was in town, considering all the horses were accounted for. With nothing else to go on, he'd resorted to calling for him, hoping that his brother would at some point respond.

"Alfre-" He started again, only to stop when a chance glance into the library showed the person he'd been looking for for almost half an hour curled into one of the chairs, mumbling quietly to himself while reading.

Huh. Not his usual pastime. "Alfred?"

Alfred looked up, blinking as his mind came back from wherever it'd been residing. "Mattie?"

"You completely missed lunch," The Canadian informed him, walking over to see what'd so intrigued his brother.

"Oh, I did?" The American shook his head. "Explains why I'm so hungry, then."

"What are you looking at?" Mathieu frowned as he came around the seat, seeing the thin sheaf of papers.

"Ah, nothing," Alfred replied, scratching lightly at the bottom of his ear. "Just something I picked up in town."

Mathieu pursed his lips. "Don't tell me thats that anti-British work that's been getting popular."

"It's not anti-British!" Alfred snapped back, frowning. "It's just- asking why we can't keep looking after our own affairs if we can't even get a word in for ourselves back in England."

"We're just colonies; what do you expect, for the King to just start listening to us?"

"We're citizens just as much as the people across the ocean; why don't we have a say in things?" Alfred shook his head. "I know we're colonies, Matt, and I'm not asking for much - just one person, two at most, who can speak for us over there where we can't."

Mathieu sighed. "I'm sure Arthur will get around to it eventually; he's probably just busy dealing with Europe. Have you tried writing to him?"

"Dozens of times." Alfred sighed, slumping into his seat. "If he responds at all, it's basically saying 'I'll deal with it later'. I just-" The American paused, hand grasping as he searched for his next words. "I want him to stop treating us like we're still little kids. We've been taking care of ourselves for the most part for more than a century now; can't he see we're responsible enough to speak for our own people?"

"We're still a lot younger than the rest of Europe," Mathieu pointed out. "To them, we _are_ still just kids. Besides, what can we do to convince them to listen to us?"

"...I don't know, Matt… I don't think there's anything we _can_ do short of forcing them to listen."

Mathieu reeled back. "Alfred, you aren't seriously considering fighting-"

Alfred blinked, then waved his hands to negate the idea. "No way, I still wanna talk to Arthur first. I know if we can just sit down together I can get him to come around to my side of things, and then everyone'll be happy again." The American looked to his brother, hopeful. "Maybe if we both ask he'll be even more willing?"

"I don't know, Alfred…" Mathieu frowned. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I'm asking for, Mattie." Alfred promised, looking far more relaxed now. "We'll avoid any sort of fighting and be all diplomatic; That should prove we're responsible enough."

Mathieu nodded in reply, biting the inside of his cheek to avoid mentioning that he thought Alfred was getting his hopes too high. He didn't know Arthur nearly as well as Alfred did, so who knew, Alfred might be right after all.

~0~0~

How had everything ended up like this?

"_Your actions have proven you a traitor to the crown."_

"_But I didn't do anything!"_

"_You questioned your rightful king!"_

"_And you killed my people for no reason!"_

Mathieu stared blankly out the carriage window, mind playing the events of the last few weeks over and over.

"_Why won't you just listen for once?"_

"_You're just an impertinent child; what could you have to say that's so important?"_

_Alfred's face twisted into a rage the Canadian had never seen before, his inch over Arthur somehow swelling. "That you're just an old blowhard who can't even see the people he's stepping on while pleasuring his lordship."_

_The slap echoed in the sudden silence of the hall, Mathieu closing his eyes and wincing._

Alfred was gone, fighting a futile war against the British Empire, while he was being sent back to his small cabin 'for his own safety'.

"_Mathieu," Alfred spoke quietly, with an authority the Canadian hadn't realized his brother could manage. He'd even pronounced the name he always struggled with correctly this time. "We're going."_

"_You aren't going anywhere," Arthur growled, stepping forward to grab Alfred, only to stop in horror as the younger grabbed his wrist, in one easy motion snapping it before letting it drop. "You-"_

"_Mathieu," He turned to the Canadian, nothing of the fun-loving crybaby brother he remembered in his face or body. This wasn't Maska or Alfred._

_This was America. And that knowledge made it somehow easier to clench his fists together, look the would-be Nation in the eyes, and say, "Non."_

Arthur - England - could not afford Canada falling into American hands. Mathieu couldn't afford it either. He'd already been a prize of war; he wasn't eager to trade hands again so soon after that experience, especially when he knew there was no way the southern colony could win this fight.

Alfred was looking after the affairs of his people.

Mathieu had to do the same.

_There was a flash of anger and betrayal behind the fire in his brother's eyes, but he did nothing but turn away, locking eyes with Arthur one last time. _

"_I declare my independence from you, you tyrant."_

_Arthur's eyes, on the other hand, were a roiling ocean, eager to drown the flames in its raging depths. "Don't expect me to be merciful when I crush your little rebellion."_

"_Don't underestimate me." And with that Alfred turned and left, his sudden absence leaving the house cold. Mathieu remembered lonely winters in his cabin, shivering under furs and wondering when his papa would return._

_For a brief moment, he wished he'd chosen to go with his brother instead._

A single tear rolled down his cheek, eventually falling to the seat below and sinking into the fabric, as if it'd never existed. The carriage continued on, heading towards an uncertain future while the young man inside was stuck in the past.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

AN: So, here's the first big project of the year! And yes, I damn well know I still have in progress stories, but I really wanted to write this out, alright? But yeah, I'm hoping to have this be longer chapters than my other works so far, but I can't guarantee anything in the long run because, well, this is me we're talking about.

Yes, I'll get to the romance next chapter, I'm just putting in a bit more history / background stuff here. Basically what I'm getting at with this is that the two were separated as little kids and didn't meet again until after the French-Indian War. Then, of course, came the Revolution and all that other stuff and basically they never had the time to fully connect as brothers, even if they called each other that out of habit.

...pfft, who am I kidding, I ship it even when it's completely incestuous. I have absolutely no shame, but on the other hand, neither will Mattie. Ehehehe...


	2. The Art of Seduction

The French-Canadian Way (Hetalia)

Author: Ashynarr

Summary: In canon, Matthew was raised by Francis and Arthur, but didn't turn out too much like either on the surface. What if he'd taken after his founding Nations just a bit more?

Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine.

Warning: CanAme, French!Mattie

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"_Today, Mathieu, I am going to teach you about something very important."_

"_About what?"_

"_The art of seduction!" _

"_But I thought you already taught me about sex?"_

"_Oh, this is something different; after all, you can't expect to make love without a woman to do it with!"_

"_I guess."_

"_There's no need to be that way! Once I am done with you, you'll be able to charm any woman you wish into your bed."_

~0~0~0~

Mathieu smiled as Irunya stepped down the gangplank of the ship along with some of her people, looking exhausted from the long seabound journey. He didn't envy her the months of waiting to confirm there was somewhere safe and suitable for her people to settle, but was more than glad it didn't have to be his own pushed out west to break the land in.

"Hello, Miss Chernenko," He greeted once she was beside him, the two stepping out of the way of the others streaming slowly off the ship. "It's lovely to meet you."

"It's lovely to meet you as well, Mr. Kirkland." She greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as he took her hand and pressed his lips to it.

"I take it the trip went relatively well?" Mathieu asked, leading her away from the processing center her people were going through, as she was not here to stay like they were.

"As well as could be expected," Irunya replied, rolling her shoulders back to relieve some of the aches of the long boat trip. The brief grimace on her face at the action said much for how effective it was.

Mathieu, however, was more interested in the effect the gesture had on her chest, especially as she appeared to have forgone more than the most basic of supports for them, causing them to bounce ever so slightly with each step. Not even a blind man would mistake her for anything other than a fully grown woman, even with her soft face.

"How long do you expect you'll be staying?" He asked, focused on nothing below her chin lest he seem rude.

"I was told the ship would return to Europe in eight days," She sighed. "Which should give me enough time to make sure everything will be alright with my people before I go home again."

"You could stay with me if you like," The colony offered sincerely. "I wouldn't mind the company, and it'd let you have your own bed and food to relax with."

"That would be more than welcome," The Ukranian woman accepted, smiling a bit more honestly now. "I would not mind providing company for a few days."

Mathieu replied with a smile of his own, not missing the brief flicker of her glance over him, evaluating and coming to some sort of approval of what she saw. Wearing the blue suit had definitely been a wise idea today.

~0~0~0~

_"The first step is to make sure there's a mutual attraction from the start - looks are everything, and neither of you will get in the mood if the other one doesn't look their best."_

"_But how will I know if she thinks I look good?"_

"_Her gaze will linger on you; judging, evaluating, critical. If she likes it, she will smile or blush, and that's when you know you have a chance."_

"_What about me? How do I show her I like how she looks?"_

"_Simply put on your best smile and don't stare too long at anything other than her face. Women can be very touchy if you focus on things other than that for too long, even though you are simply admiring the bodies the Lord granted them."_

~0~0~0~

"You have a lovely house," Irunya complemented, sipping at the tea one of Mathieu's servants (actually Arthur's, but the man was never here, so in the end it was the same either way) had brought out for them before retreating.

"Thank you," He smiled around the rim of his own cup. "Though I doubt it compares to the splendor of the houses back in Europe."

"They are far grander, true, but they don't feel as comfortable to live in." She hummed thoughtfully, taking another sip. "I've never been able to sleep more than a day in any of them without feeling overwhelmed, even my brother's house."

The Canadian pressed his lips together in thought, trying to remember everything of the current dynamics of the continent across the ocean. "You mean Russia?"

"Yes; he's been so possessive of me and my sister since he got us back from Poland and Lithuania. I'm glad to see him having grown so big and strong, but sometimes I feel he has forgotten what it means to constantly be under another's control."

Mathieu could sympathize - as things were, he was fairly lucky in terms of how much freedom he had under Arthur's rule, though most of that was simply the inconvenient distances involved. If he had had nearly as many restrictions as her-

(-"_I declare my independence from you, you tyrant."_-)

-He'd probably want to find ways around it as well.

"What was he like as a child, then? I've only heard a few things about him from Arthur, but you'd know him far better."

Irunya smiled softly, eyes starting to slide out of focus as she looked back the centuries to her own childhood. "Oh, he used to be the shyest little thing, always tending to the wildflowers he would find every spring. Even as he got older he would always have a garden of them he'd tend to in his free time. It was simply the sweetest thing, seeing him carefully pull away the other grasses so that the flowers would have room to grow."

Mathieu smiled as he saw her start to relax, her eyes half open as she continued to lose herself in the past. Her cup emptied twice during her storytelling, the Canadian refilling it once she set it down so that she didn't have to interrupt herself to do so.

"Thank you for listening to me ramble," She told him once she'd finished, finishing her last cup with a grateful smile. "I'm afraid I completely lost track of time."

"It's fine, I don't mind," He told her, smiling in turn. "Your siblings sound like interesting people."

"They are," Irunya admitted. "Even if we don't see each other all that often, we're still family, yes?"

"Yeah," Mathieu agreed quietly, thinking of his own brother to the south.

The look in her eyes told him she understood completely.

~0~0~0~

"_What comes next?"_

"_Ah, the next step is to charm her - make her feel comfortable and welcome, and show yourself to be a man of taste and thoughtfulness. This will ease her for the rest."_

"_How do I do that?"_

"_Let her talk about what she wishes; women love it when you listen to them speak about whatever is on their minds, and even more so if you show interest. Find topics she enjoys, and you'll find her warming up to you quickly."_

~0~0~0~

"You have a brother too, right?" Irunya asked. "What is he like?"

"You mean Alfred?" Mathieu hummed as he leaned back, thinking of his own distant past. "He's a big softie, really. Cries every time one of his pets gets hurt or killed. You should have seen the funerals he had for all his pet rabbits - he'd pray for them and everything."

"Really?" She leaned forward in interest.

"Mmhmm. He especially loves his horses - I've seen him drop everything to take care of them when they get sick, even though it annoyed Arthur to no end. I've heard he's taken up ranching over in California recently as a way to unwind for a few decades."

"I've never been good with horses," Irunya admitted. "The ones I use to help plow I always borrow from my neighbors, and most of the time it's them guiding the horses while I make sure the seeds go in after."

"Not everyone can be great with animals," Mathieu shrugged with a grin. "I'm sure there's plenty you're good at, though."

"Oh no, I wouldn't say that," She flushed, looking away. "I'm fairly good at knitting and sewing, and I'm a decent farmer, but other than that I'm nothing special."

"Nonsense," He replied, leaning forward to draw her gaze back towards him as he smiled winningly. "A woman as lovely and kind as you has to have many talents to her name."

"I'm flattered you think so," Irunya smiled, eyelashes lowering ever so slightly as she smiled abashedly.

"I'm sure you've heard such things a thousand times, but I simply can't help but reiterate them myself." He continued. "I'm almost afraid to ask how many men have fallen for your charms before me."

"Not nearly as many as you fear," She told him. "Many don't look to a farmer more than once."

"No? A shame for them, then, to pass up such a gem."

She laughed softly. "You really are Francis' child, aren't you, Mr. Kirkland?"

~0~0~0~

"_Once she's relaxed, you can start conveying your interest in her, but you must be smart about it. You must be subtle enough to not come off as desperate, but clear enough that she knows you're interested. If she returns it, she will also make it clear."_

"_What if she doesn't?"_

"_Then back off and accept she is not interested at the moment. If she seems interested later, you may resume, but until then, do not drive her away by striving too hard to get her into bed."_

"_But what if I can't tell?"_

"_Do the same; it's far better to assume she's not interested than to offend her by making too forward an unwanted advance. Remember, you are going to be a man of class, not some inelegant commoner."_

~0~0~0~

Mathieu grinned unashamed. "He did teach me a few things, I'll admit."

"How to be a charmer seems to be one of them," Irunya acknowledged, looking him over again.

"I'm afraid you're not the only one to be charmed, Miss Chernenko."

"Please, call me Iryna."

"Then call me Mathieu." He offered her a hand. "It just struck me that I have yet to show you to the guest rooms; I'm afraid I've been a poor host for that."

"Nonsense, I've had a wonderful time so far," She replied, accepting the hand up and not bothering to take it back when he started leading her towards the stairs. "You really know how to make a guest feel welcome."

"I've had a lot of practice," Mathieu replied, turning to smile at her as they ascended to the second floor. "Plus it's only the polite thing to do."

"Polite or not, you've been an excellent host so far." She told him, the two coming to a stop at the top of the stairs.

"The two farthest rooms on the right are available for you to choose from; mine is the one on the far left, just in case you need me for anything." He pointed each out in turn, giving her a pointed look at the last comment that she picked up on easily.

"I'm certain I'll be fine with any of the rooms I stay in," Irunya replied, not letting her gaze falter from his.

"Would you like me to show you them? So that we can have the servants bring your bags in for you, of course." The Canadian added almost convincingly.

"I would like that," The Ukrainian told him, smiling widely. "Why don't we start with yours, just to make sure I know all my options."

"As you wish," Mathieu replied, smiling as he pushed open the door and led her in backwards, the door closing firmly behind them.

~0~0~0~

"_What happens once I know she's interested?"_

"_Ah, then comes my favorite part - the seduction! Your only task at that point is to woo her - make her feel beautiful and special, until she's all but putty in your hands. If all else goes well, by the time you reach your bed, both of you will be more than ready to make love. Remember, don't let yourself get caught up in your own pleasure and forget hers in the process - that is a fast way to lose her interest in you."_

"_I know, papa, you taught me about sex already."_

"_Not everything! You'll find yourself learning far more than I can teach you on your own - experiment, explore, and make sure that you both part ways happy and satisfied."_

~0~0~0~

Mathieu awoke the following morning to a knock on the door, yawning and stretching as he told the servant to enter. He was still pleasantly sore in several places, and didn't feel the urge to get up before he had to. To her credit, she didn't even blink at the second person in his bed, instead bowing and informing him that breakfast was ready and that he had a letter waiting for him.

The second drew his attention fast. "From where?"

"I was told it was express from California, sir."

Mathieu grinned, pushing himself up and sliding out from under the sheets. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

She bowed again and left, shutting the door as he made his way to his closet, picking out his outfit for the day before getting dressed and heading out of the room, allowing his guest to sleep in a bit longer. Irunya had had a long journey here, after all - it was only fair to let her get all the sound rest she could.

The tray holding his breakfast was already set down on the side table next to his favorite chair, the letter perched neatly beside it. He picked the letter up first along with the letter opener beside it, carefully prying it open before retrieving the sheaf of papers inside. Only once he had them open did he sit down, setting the sheaf down in his lap before turning to his breakfast tea.

Looking over the first page while sipping at his beverage, he smiled as he started reading the messy scrawl his brother had taken to.

"_Hey Mattie! It's been a while since you last letter, but I guess winter sorta slowed things down up there, huh?_

_I have to tell you, having winters that aren't freezing feels amazing - you should come by sometime when you aren't busy with your shiny new Confederation duties. Artie has to let you have fun occasionally! _

_Bella's been a peach, keeping everything around here in order, including the younger States. I seriously still can't believe I got so lucky with a State like her - guess Spain and Mexico didn't know what they were missing!"_

Mathieu frowned briefly as his brother went on about his 'Golden State' - an apt nickname considering the huge gold fever she'd sparked - before deciding that of course he was going to fawn over her when she'd done so much for him in the brief few decades she'd been his. It wasn't a big deal anyways - Alfred would be back on the East Coast soon enough, and then their letters would be more frequent again thanks to the shorter distance.

He smiled at the thought, going back to reading while idly working his way through his breakfast.

~0~0~0~

"_Mathieu, there's one last thing I want you to remember about seduction."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Do not ever let yourself get attached. Attachment only leads to pain once she leaves you, so be wary. It's better to keep things casual, for both of your sakes."_

"_But I-"_

"_Promise me you'll be careful."_

"_...I promise."_

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

AN: Ahahahaha, yeah, this is just a little bit late, I think. But hey, here's the long awaited update, and I hope it exceeds all your expectations! (I have to admit I'm not the best at writing flirting, so this fic might or might not be a challenge in the future, whoops.)

Also when I showed my friends my 'steps to seduction' they all said the last part made them sad, which was basically my goal in an offhanded sort of way. But yeah this is sort of establishing his French heritage and teachings while also just ever so subtly introducing how Arthur is starting to shape him.

As a bonus note, expect a long story ahead – I plan on making this a work of triumph by the end of it all. Hopefully Mattie will serve as an excellent guide through the upcoming decades!


	3. Call For Assistance

The French-Canadian Way (Hetalia)

Author: Ashynarr

Summary: In canon, Matthew was raised by Francis and Arthur, but didn't turn out too much like either on the surface. What if he'd taken after his founding Nations just a bit more?

Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine.

Warning: CanAme, French!Mattie

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One of the most convenient things about the new Model T was, at least in Mathieu's opinion, its absolute convenience compared to most other modes of transport. Zeppelins were faster and didn't require constant refueling, true, but they were also prone to unfortunate accidents and only took you to specific ports, while the Model T could go along any sort of open path one wished and very rarely got into trouble even at its top speed of forty miles to the hour.

Airplanes, though quickly proving themselves as reliable as the automobile with all the convenient travelling speed and directness of the zeppelin, were still rather new and expensive, and required one to be capable of actually flying the thing, which the Canadian could readily admit he could not as of yet.

(Don't even get him started on horses. Elegant though they might be, he had never been as good with them as Alfred was, and so leaving them to others was hardly a loss.)

That was why, even with the distance between Ottawa and Washington D.C. and the heat of the August day, Mathieu chose to take his new Model T down to the States rather than take the zeppelin or coerce himself a ride down in one of the newer two-seat planes.

The trip itself, aside from the heat, was surprisingly pleasant - with how easy it was to keep the car moving straight along the road, Mathieu could afford to watch the landscape around his pass by, his vehicle drawing notice in each town he passed through and even from the farmers whose homes he happened to rumble past. More than once, during his stops to refuel for the next part of his trip, a small crowd would gather around to admire the vehicle and chat with him about what it was like to own and drive it.

(Bless their American souls, they hardly even minded his clearly Quebecois accent; it was odd, but nice to be on relatively good terms with the southern Nation and his people.)

Even though Mathieu had started in the early morning, the sun was well towards the western horizon before he made it to Alfred's house, the long driveway ending at the small mansion that had barely changed since he'd first set eyes on it well over a century ago. Once his car rolled to a stop before the front porch, he sat back in his seat and thought again about how he was going to convince his brother to help in this new war in Europe.

(He knew that there was a low chance of Alfred actually agreeing to anything, considering his stance on Europe, but Mathieu at least had to _try_.)

Taking a breath, he stepped out of the car and strode over to the door, finger hovering over the doorbell for a moment before he depressed it, the chiming of bells from inside lasting several seconds before silencing. Stretching a bit to relieve some of the tension of sitting in a bumpy vehicle for most of the day, he stepped back as he heard footsteps approach the door, friendly greeting on his lips as it opened only for him to realize a second later it wasn't Alfred greeting him at the door.

"Oh, hello Mathieu," Ginevra Jameson nodded once she recognized him. "What brings you down here?"

"Hello to you as well, Ginevra; I was hoping to have a chance to speak with Al about a few things in person. Is he around?"

Her lips pressed together; the Virginian woman could never be called a fool, and considering she'd all but raised Alfred where Arthur couldn't (due to his living across the ocean and whatnot), she had a lovely habit of finding out about current events even before her Nation did. "This is about the war in Europe, isn't it?"

"Perhaps," Mathieu shrugged. "I'd still prefer discussing it with him."

"We aren't joining, so you can just leave now." She replied tersely, moving to close the door.

"Oh? I didn't realize you still had a right to speak for the entire Union after the stunt you pulled," He replied idly, stopping her in her tracks.

She glared at him, which did little to affect his unimpressed expression. Eventually she relented, nodding her head towards the side of the house. "Alfred and the others are out in the field testing out their new airplane. Let them know dinner will be ready soon."

"Thank you," Mathieu replied, nodding. "I'll let them know."

With a final sharp look Ginny shut the door a bit more firmly than necessary; shaking his head, he turned and made his way back down to the driveway before heading out along the short path through the trees, raising a hand to block the sun as he searched for his brother.

Not a moment too soon, it seemed; as he watched, a plane crested over one of the small hills, another of Alfred's States in the driver's seat while Alfred and- New York, wasn't it? Benjamin, that was the name! - ran alongside, easily keeping place as it settled back to the ground and rolled to a stop.

"Great job, Caroline!" Alfred gushed as Mathieu approached, grinning up at his State. "That's twice as far as Ben got without wobbling!"

"That's because I'm a natural pilot," Caroline laughed, pulling off her goggles.

"She's just better 'cause she's had more practice!" Benjamin protested, arms crossed. "Give me a few years and I can show her a thing or two about flying."

"In your dreams, Benny," She teased, gaze flickering up to the Canadian. "Oh look, we have a visitor."

"Matt?" Alfred asked as he turned to look, surprise morphing into a friendly grin. "Haven't seen you in a while! What brings you by?"

"Just some things I'd rather speak about face to face," He replied, frowning slightly as he realized he'd have three defensive States to worry about while attempting to coerce his brother's assistance in the war. "By the way, Ginevra says dinner is nearly ready."

"Is it? Time to pack up for the day then." Alfred turned to his States. "Hey, can you two put the plane back in the hangar? I'm gonna catch up with Mattie a bit before we all head back to the house."

"Just be careful," Benjamin warned, frowning as he looked over the Canadian. "You know he can't be here for anything good."

"I know the war's got you upset cause it closed the stock market, but it'll be fine. It's just a friendly chat, right Matt?" The American gave him a pointed look.

"Of course," Mathieu agreed readily.

"If you're sure," Caroline replied slowly, putting her goggles back on before she and Benjamin turned the plane around, heading back down the plain.

"Damn, that plane's the best thousand I've ever spent," Alfred hummed merrily before turning back to his brother. "Came all the way down in person just to see me, huh?"

"It has been a while," Mathieu pointed out, smiling slightly.

"It has! Did you grab a flight down?" The American asked.

"Actually, I drove. It's quite the experience, actually."

Alfred whistled appreciatively. "All the way from Ottawa? That's, what, four hundred miles? When did you start, this morning?"

"Yes, yes, and at just after dawn, actually." The Canadian grinned. "Your place is obnoxiously hot in the summer, I'll have you know."

"And your place is stupid cold in the winter," The southern Nation shot back. "How have things been for you up there, by the way?"

Mathieu sighed, grimacing. "Not good; two years of drought plus an economic depression leaves quite a few of my people unhappy. Not to mention, well,"

"The war." Alfred sympathised, patting his shoulder. "That's rough, but hopefully it'll all improve soon."

"At least the war should be over by Christmas, so that's something at least."

"See? Think positive!" The American grinned, glancing over to see his States returning. "You guys ready for food?"

"Definitely!" Benjamin agreed, eying Mathieu briefly before continuing on past, Caroline at his side. "Hopefully she's made enough for five of us."

"She always cooks enough," Caroline shrugged. "Considering who she has to feed all the time."

"Hey, that was one time, and I was in the middle of a growth spurt!" Alfred protested with a laugh, following after with Mathieu right behind him. "You can't blame me for being hungry!"

"You ate enough for ten of us in one go!" Ben shook his head. "Ginny had to make more just to feed everyone else!"

The Canadian didn't interrupt as the other three chatted enthusiastically on their way back to the mansion. Seeing his brother looking so hale and hearty while he was beginning to suffer the effects of a lack of food and money sent a pang of anger through him. Why was Alfred able to weather these changes so well when Mathieu, the far more loyal one, had to suffer?

Biting his tongue and shoving those thoughts back as they entered, he took the seat he was pointed to while watching the southern State patter around the kitchen, finishing up the last parts of dinner before bringing it all over. She settled neatly into the last seat only after the table before them was almost completely covered in plates of food.

(Lord, did it all smell so good!)

Mathieu had only a moment's hesitance in indulging himself in the meal; even with his appetite, he hardly made the same dent in the meal that Alfred did, and their eating prevented any meaningful conversation anyways. The sun was below the horizon before they finished, the five content for a while to relax before bringing up the conversation all of them knew was coming.

"I'm going to start the dishes," Ginevra stated eventually, collecting plates with the help of Benjamin and carting them back to the kitchen, followed soon after by the sound of rushing water. Benjamin returned and settled into his vacated seat, expression serious as he finally brought up the the topic of the evening.

"So, you're here to talk about the war."

"I am," Mathieu didn't bother denying it. "Arthur has declared war, and that obligates me to join him. I was wondering-"

"No." Benjamin and Caroline denied in unison, voices flat.

Alfred shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, Matt, but my people don't want to get involved in Europe's wars. It'll all settle down soon, anyways, so it's not a huge deal, is it?"

"Even so, the assistance would still be beneficial in driving Germany back." The Canadian protested. "You have a much stronger workforce and economy right now - your help would likely guarantee an easy victory."

"Look, I can send supplies in exchange for cash, but that's it." Alfred leaned back in his seat and shrugged. "I'm not going to join a fight that doesn't involve me."

Mathieu frowned, frustration building again, though he forced it out of his voice as much as he could manage. "But this does involve you - how many of your people are over in Europe now, caught in the middle of this mess?"

"A few thousand," Alfred admitted. "But as long as they're allowed to pull out without issue until the fighting's done, and as long as both sides leave my ships alone, there's no reason to declare war over that."

"Of course you wouldn't want to help Arthur," Mathieu muttered under his breath. "Since you still can't get over a stupid war with him."

"My decision has nothing to do with Arthur," Alfred snapped with a scowl, slamming a hand on the table and startling the Canadian. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mutter like a sullen child denied sweets when you're talking business with me."

Mathieu flushed in embarrassment, wondering what had sparked this new Alfred. The southern Nation had never confronted him directly on his mutterings before, so being slapped down so suddenly was startling. Was this what more than a century of independence did for someone, or had something else matured his brother from the ever-cheery child he'd once been?

(It didn't help that the States looked far too amused at the whole thing.)

"I can't convince you to join the war, then?"

"Sorry, my answer remains no," Alfred replied. "I am, however, willing to discuss the matter of supplies before we retire for the night."

Mathieu sighed, but nodded. He'd expected as much before he came down to Virginia, but he still felt a twinge of betrayal at his brother's blatant refusal.

(At the least, he had something beneficial come out of this visit. Perhaps once the war was over he could come back for a more friendly visit and spend some time catching up.)

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AN: Wow, writing Alfred smack down Mattie's passhole tendencies is a lot of fun; I should do it way more often yo, ahahahahah. But yeah, we'll be getting to more romantic type things next chapter probably, so start cheering for that! :D

Honestly, the story tone in this fic is way different than all my other ones, which makes this sometimes harder to write than it should be because I keep having to push it back where it should be. Hopefully it's still turning out well for everyone!

(Caroline is North Carolina. I couldn't think of anything more creative, so that's what I'm working with. Shrugs.)


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